Due to the occurrence of incidents and potential for explosions involving the use of incompatible regulators with acetylene gas, the British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA) has issued a revision to Safety Alert 01 – The hazards of using incompatible regulatory with acetylene.
Due to its flammable nature, acetylene – commonly used in welding and cutting – has the potential to cause an explosion when utilised with an unsuitable regulator. To mitigate possible disaster, the manufacture of gas regulators should feature a bespoke design involving materials compatible with the specific gas.
The use of unsuitable regulators for acetylene is not only dangerous but also constitutes an illegal practice. A regulator not designed for the use with the specific gas will result in the outlet pressure not being correctly regulated. Anything exceeding 1.5 bar for all inlet pressures violates the legal requirement for compliance with legislation for the use of acetylene.
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